Another TI without Puppey or Team Secret

As a passionate gamer myself, I’m deeply disappointed to share that my favorite team, Team Secret, won’t be gracing The International 10 this year. Unfortunately, Clement “Puppey” Ivanov and his crew fell short in the Western Europe Qualifier, missing out on another chance to compete for the Aegis of Champions.

Clement “Puppey” Ivanov and his Team Secret group didn’t make it through the preliminary rounds for The International 2025. The Western Europe and Southeast Asia qualifiers are still ongoing, but some teams have already been eliminated. Among those teams are MOUZ, Virtus.pro, and AVULUS. However, the most noteworthy loss is Team Secret, who were knocked out early in the qualifier.

Another year without Puppey at The International

2025’s International tournament is fast approaching, and several teams have already been granted direct invitations to secure a place. The rest of the hopeful competitors will likely compete in regional qualifiers, where they’ll battle fiercely for the remaining spots at the esteemed Dota 2 event.

So far, qualifying tournaments have concluded in North America, South America, Eastern Europe, and China, each offering only one qualifier spot. Now, the focus shifts towards Western Europe and Southeast Asia where the qualifiers are ongoing. While Southeast Asia has yet to experience any significant upsets, there’s been a major surprise in Western Europe as Secret was knocked out in the opening round.

The removal of Secret occurred not long ago, following their exclusion from contention for the 2025 Esports World Cup. Over a year marked by disappointing performances in qualifying rounds and absence at major tournaments, Secret’s challenges persist.

Secret was recently disqualified, having also been ruled out of the running for the 2025 Esports World Cup. A string of poor showings and missed appearances at significant events over the past year have left Secret facing ongoing difficulties.

For three consecutive years now, our team won’t get to participate in TI 2025, as they did not qualify. Their last participation was at TI 2022, where they achieved an impressive second position, just behind Tundra Esports.

Moving forward for Team Secret

After the elimination of qualifying rounds, Team Secret may need to search diligently for something to celebrate in 2025. At present, no events are scheduled with their participation, but it’s likely they will focus on qualifiers. Tournaments like BLAST Slam IV and V, which provide European qualifiers, could potentially give them an opportunity to make a mark.

Ilya “Kiritych” Ulyanov, the latest carry for Secret, shared insights on the team’s faltering qualifier chances in a recent Telegram post. He attributes the setback to extreme fatigue, largely due to his participation in DreamLeague Season 26 with BetBoom Team prior to joining Secret.

As a gamer on team Secret, I’ve spent the past few days gathering players specifically for these qualifiers. However, it seems like we’re just going through the motions, struggling to find our footing. It’s as if we’re merely known as “Secret,” but our spirit and chemistry aren’t fully present yet.

Given that Team Secret has missed out on the two most significant tournaments in 2025, could this mark the end of the long-lasting Dota 2 partnership between Puppey and Team Secret? Or perhaps we’ll witness a restructuring that propels the esteemed captain back to the pinnacle of the competition?

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2025-06-16 14:40